Strip cutter

ABSTRACT

A rotatable feed roll, mechanism including a one-way clutch for effecting intermittent non-linear rotation of the feed roll through a predetermined angle of rotation to advance strip material to an oscillatable cutter supported beyond the feed roll in the direction of movement of the strip, a detector comprising a lamp and photocell supported adjacent the strip in a position to detect indicia thereon when the strip has slowed to near stop at the end of an interval of non-linear rotation of the feed roll, and means operable by the detector in response to the indicia to effect oscillation of the cutter.

United States Patent Lee 1 Feb. 6, 1973 1541 STRIP CUTTER 3,025,740 3/1962 Sorkin ..83/365 x [7 Inventor: Richard G. Weston, Mass. 3,191,472 6/1965 Lyon ..83/264 X [73] Assignee: Alves Photo Service, Inc., Braintree, Primary xam nerFrank T. Yost Mass Att0rneyR0berts, Cushman & Grover [22] Fild1 Aug. 17, 1970 [21] Appl' 64A) A rotatable feed roll, mechanism including a one-way 52 us. 01. ..s3/211, 83/244 83/258 Clutch for effecting intermittent (nation of 833/264, 83/365 83/371, 83/444, 83/450, the feed roll through a predetermined angle of rota- 83/610 tion to advance strip material to an oscillatable cutter 51 Int. Cl ..B26d 5/32, 826d 5/34 Supported beyond the feed roll in the direction of 1581 Field 61 Search....83/209, 1, 21 1, 364, 365, 367, movement of the Strip, a detector comprising a p 83/371, 264, 263, 244, 245, 258, 450, 444, and photocell supported adjacent the strip in a posi- 610 tion to detect indicia thereon when the strip has slowed to near stop at the end of an interval of non- [56] References Cited linear rotation of the feed roll, and means operable by the detector in response to the indicia to effect oscilla- UNlTED STATES PA TENTS tion of the cutter 3,398,619 8/1968 Nichols ..83/367 X 3,600,997 8/1971 Schmidt ..83/37l x 13 Clams 7 Drawmg Figures 2,541,737 2/1951 Bardsley et alv ..83/244 UX SHEET 2 UF 3 PATENTEDFEB 6 ms SHEET 3 0F 3 FIG.6

STRIP CUTTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Apparatus for cutting strip material into predetermined lengths such as photographic film into individual transparencies or prints is disclosed in each of US. Pat. Nos. 3,203,293, 3,345,911 and 3,469,482 and also in pending application Ser. No. 836,253, filed June 25, I969, U.S. Pat. No. 3,599,52l. In the aforesaid patents and application photoelectric means is employed to stop the feed and effect operation of a cutter. Provision is made in some of the patents to compensate for the overrun between the time the photoelectric means detects the indicia on the strip and the operation of the cutter to assure precision and in the pending application there is disclosed means for running the strip feeder at two different speeds, a high speed throughout the major portion of the length of each print to insure high output and a low speed near the end to insure detection and cutting with a high degree of precision from print to print. This is accomplished by the use of two motors operated at high and low speed and arranged so that first one and then the other drives the feed roll.

The present application is for the purpose of obtaining the advantage of the high and low speed drive without employing two motors.

SUMMARY As herein illustrated, the invention comprises a rotatable feed roll, means for effecting intermittent non-linear rotation of the feed roll through a predetermined angle of rotation, a cutter to which the strip is advanced by rotation of the feed roll and a detector situated adjacent the strip in a position to detect indicia on the strip as the latter slows to a stop near the end of an interval of non-linear rotation of the feed roll to actuate the cutter. The means for effecting the intermittent non-linear rotation of the feed roll comprises a constant speed motor and kinematic linkage connecting the motor to the clutch for effecting oscillation of the clutch. The kinematic linkage comprises a crank fixed to the motor shaft, a pinion fixed to a clutch on the drive roll, a gear meshing with the pinion and a link connecting the crank to the gear. The clutch is electrically operable and is disengaged in response to the detector and a brake is provided on the shaft which is operable upon disengagement of the clutch to stop the drive shaft, and upon re-engagement of the clutch to release the drive shaft.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the machine broken away in part and partly in section;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view, partly in elevation and partly in section, taken on the line 22 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 3 diagrammatically illustrates the non-linear feed and the detector means positioned to effect cutting off at a point in the feed where the strip has slowed to near stop condition;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the machine;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan to much larger scale showing the detector means; and

FIG. 6 is a section taken on the and FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevation of means for adjusting the angle of oscillation of the drive gear.

line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

Referring to the drawings, the machine comprises a box-like structure 10 having a bottom wall 12 side walls l4-14 and end walls 16l6. Within the structure there are horizontally and vertically disposed partitions 18 and 20. The partition 18 is situated below the top of the structure, extends from side wall to side wall and from the front end toward the rear end and terminates short of the rear end. The partition 20 is vertically disposed and extends from the terminal end of the partition wall 18 to the bottom. In conjunction, the partition walls 18 and 20 provide internally of the structure an enclosure 22 for the driving means for the apparatus as will appear hereinafter. Above the partition wall 18 there is a shallow way 24 along which strip material to be cut into pieces of equal length is moved to cutting means as will be described hereinafter and to the left of this enclosure there is a well 26 into which a loop of the strip is dropped from a coil 28 (FIG. 1).

The strip indicated at 30 is advanced in a horizontal plane along the way by a feed roll 32 to cutting means 34, the latter including vertically spaced guide bars 36 and 38. The The feed roll 32 is supported within the enclosure 22 on a shaft 34 with its upper side projecting upwardly through a slot 36 in the partition wall 18. A hold-down roll 38 for holding the strip against the feed roll is pivotally mounted between a pair of transversely spaced arms 4040, the latter being pivotally supported on pins 4242 for elevation about a horizontal axis parallel to that of the feed roll to enable lifting the hold-down roll 38 away from the feed roll so as to permit threading the strip into the machine preparatory to operation. Spring means 44 connected to the arms 40 and to the structure normally hold the hold-down roll engaged with the feed roll. A handle 44 secured to a cross-bar 46 joining the upper ends of the arms 4040 provides for lifting the hold-down roll away from the feed roll.

The strip 30 is led from the coil 28 to the feed roll over a plurality of guide rolls 48-48 rotatably mounted in longitudinally spaced pairs in the partition wall 18. Each guide roll (FIG. 2) comprises a hub 50 and a flange 52 and is rotatably mounted on a short stub shaft 54 which is secured to the underside of the partition wall 18 by screws 56-56 with the upper part of the roll projecting upwardly through a slot 58 in the partition wall. The guide rolls 48 are mounted so that the tops of the hubs 50 lie in a plane tangent to the top of the feed roll 32 and .the flanges 52 are disposed outwardly with respect thereto for engagement with the edges of the strip to guide the strip toward the feed roll.

The feed roll 32 is rotated intermittently to advance successive lengths of the strip to the cutter for cutting and as each predetermined length of the strip is advanced to its position for cutting a detector actuates the cutting means to sever the strip. Previously the feed roll has been driven at a constant speed and the detector has operated in response to indicia on the rapidly moving strip to effect actuation of the cutter. In the pending application referred to above there is provided a control embodying two motors, one for driving the feed roll at a high rate of speed and another for driving the feed roll at a lower. rate of speed. In the aforesaid machine the detector is disposed in a position to detect indicia on the strip during the period when the strip is being moved forwardly by the low speed motor. In accordance with this invention in place of two motors a single motor is employed and kinematic means is provided for connecting the single motor to the feed roll so as to impart non-linear rotation to the feed roll, that is, to initate rotation of the feed roll at a relatively slow speed, quickly bring it up to high speed and then slow it down to a stop, and, in conjunction therewith, means operable in response to indicia on the strip located at a position where the strip is slowed to near stop to initiate operation of the cutter. This is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 3 by the sine wave curve X which represents the intermittent movement of the strip from a standstill at to a maximum at m and then back to 0 for each interval of rotation of the feed roll. As there indicated a detector d is positioned at the down side of the curve close to the place where the strip is coming to a stop so that detection takes place when the strip is nearly stopped and the cutter in response thereto will make its cut precisely without error. This is accomplished herein by a constant speed drive motor M1 (FIG. 4), an'electrically operable clutch C1 and an electrically operable brake B1. The motor M1 has a drive shaft 60 on which there is mounted a crank disc 62 on which there is eccentrically mounted a pin 64. The clutch C1 is mounted on the feed roll shaft 34 and embodies a shaft 66 which is .adapted to be connected to the shaft 34 by engagement of the clutch and to be disconnected therefrom by disengagement of the clutch C1. A pinion 68 is fixed to the shaft 66 and this pinion meshes with a large gear 70 mounted on a shaft (not shown) parallel to the shaft 66. A pin 72 is fixed eccentrically to the gear 70 and the pins 64 and 72 are connected by a link 74. Rotation of the crank disc 62 through the link 74 will oscillate the gear 70 and oscillation of the gear 70 in turn will oscillate the pinion 68 so as to drive the shaft 66 first in one direction and then in the other; When driven in one direction the .shaft 66 through the clutch Cl will rotate the feed roll 32 forwardly to advance the strip and when rotated in the other direction the clutch will disconnect the shaft 66 from the shaft 34 so that the feed roll is idle during the reverse rotation of the shaft 66. To make sure that the feed roll does not rotate in the reverse direction during the reverse rotation of the shaft 66, the brake B1 is applied to fix the shaft during this period. The clutch C1 and brake B1 as indicated above are electrically operated and there are cams 76 and 78 on the motor shaft 60, the one being operable to effect actuation of the clutch and the other of the brake so that when the clutch is actuated to engage the shaft 66 with the shaft 34 the brake is de-actuated and when the clutch is actuated to disengage the shaft 66 from the shaft 34 the brake is applied.

The motor M1 is driven at a constant speed and so the strip is advanced by the feed roll intermittently at intervals corresponding to the length of the prints which are to be cut therefrom until the entire strip is processed. Cutting the strip is effected by advancing the strip between the vertically spaced guides 36 and 38 (FIG. 1) to a cutter bar 80 disposed transversely of the path of movement of the stripv at the forward side of the guides 36 and 38. .The guide 38 embodies a hardened steel insert 380 having an upper flat surface 82 situated in a plane which is tangent to the top of the feed roll 32 and is removably attached by screws 84 to enable replacement should it become worn or damaged. The upper guide 36 is mounted on the structure above the guide 38 and has a downwardly and forwardly inclined flat surface 86 which converges toward the surface 82 and provides a throat for receiving the leading end of the strip and guiding it to the cutter bar 80. The upper guide 36 is mounted by means of screws to the frame so as to enable adjusting its heightwise position with respect to the insert 38a. The cutter bar 80 is rotatably mounted in transversely spaced bearings 8888 and intermediate the bearings 8888 is halfround in cross-section as indicated in FlG. 1, having a cylindrical surface 88 and diametrical surface 90. The

cutter bar is mounted so that in its'inoperative position the diametrical surface 90 is situated in a plane above and parallel to the surface 82 of the bar 38 substantially at the lower edge of the bar 36. The cutter bar is oscillated from a position shown in FIG. 1 counterclockwise through a small angle with respect to the bar 38 to sever the strip where it protrudes through the gap between the bars 36 and 38. As illustrated, the cylindrical surface 88 is substantially tangent to the plane of the forward edge of the guides 36 and 38.

Oscillation of the cutter bar is initiated by the detector d and effected by a motor M2. The motor M2 (FIG. 4) is provided with a shaft 92 on which there is a crank disc 94 to which there is eccentrically fixed a pin 96. The cutter bar in turn is provided with a crankarm 98 and pin 100. A link 102 connects the pins 96 and so that rotation of the shaft 92 imparts oscillation to the cutter bar.

The detector d which effects oscillation of the cutter bar shown diagrammatically in FIG. 3 comprises, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a light source 104 located above the strip and a cell 106 located below the strip adjacent one edge. Optionally, a reflective system may be employed. The light source 104 is a conventional lamp mounted in a tube 108 set into a block 110 which partition wall 18 so as to be movable longitudinally of the strip and is adapted to be clamped at any predetermined position by a clamp screw l20 extending through a hole 122 in the block 112 and through a hole 124 in the partition wall 18 into threaded engagement with a nut 126 at the lower side thereof. A knurled head 128 at the upper end of the bolt provides for tightening and releasing it. Adjustment of the block 112 longitudinally is provided for by a screw 130 parallel to the direction of feed of the strip, one end of which is fixed in a block 132 screwed to the upper side of the partition wall 18. The other end of the screw 130 extends into a hole 134 in the block 112 and a recess 136 is formed in the top of the block for receiving an internally threaded knurled nut 138 threaded onto the screw 130. Rotation of the nut 138 will accordingly move the block 112 forwardly and rearwardly in the direction of feed of the strip. The hole 124 is of the elongate construction to enable the clamp screw to move forwardly and rearwardly with the block.

As previously related the detector-d is adjusted longitudinally with respect to the strip so that it will detect indicia on the strip at about the time that the strip comes to a stop. Detection initiates operation of the motor M2 to effect cutting and a cam 140 on the motor shaft 92 stops the motor by engagement with a switch 142.

As the cuts are made the severed portions of the strip drop down into the bottom of an inclined chute 144 (FIG. 1) pivotally supported on atransversely extending bar 146 and are discharged thereby for collection into a suitable receptacle.

It is desirable to have the strip supplied to the feed roll without any restriction, that is, without being subjected to the drag imposed in unwinding it from the coil and this is accomplished herein by positively rotating the coil 28 to feed the strip off into the well 26 into the form of a loop 28a. To maintain the loop 28a a detector d2 is provided comprising a light source 138 and a cell 140, the light source being mounted in the end wall opposite one side of the loop and the photocell being mounted in the enclosure 22 at the other side of the loop. The coil 28 is mounted on a spool 142 supported above the frame between spaced parallel uprights 144144 which has on one end a sprocket 146. A motor M3 is mounted on the structure and has on its shaft a sprocket 148. A chain 150 entrained about the sprocket 146 and 148 provides for rotating the spool 142 and hence feeding the strip from the coil 28 into the well. If the strip is used up faster than the coil is rotated so that the bottom of the loop in the well rises above the line of sight between the light source and the cell, the cell will be actuated to start the motor M3 so as to unwind the strip from the coil until the loop drops down and cuts off light from the cell. When this occurs the motor M3 is stopped. In this way it is possible to keep a free loop available at all times from which the strip can be drawn without dragging.

Optionally, there is means for varying the oscillation of the drive gear 70 to thereby increase or decrease the length of strip advance for each cutting operation and this means comprises, as shown in FIG. 7, a radial slot 148 in the gear in which there is mounted a block 150 to which the pin 72 is fixed. A screw 152 provides for adjusting the block and hence the pin radially with respect to the gear. Additionally, the link 74 is divided intermediate its ends and the adjacent ends joined by a screw 154 which enables lengthening the link when the block 150 is moved toward the center of the gear and shortening it when it is moved away from the center of the gear.

In operation the machine runs continuously, the strip being advanced intermittently and each movement being non-linear in that movement of the strip is initiated at a relatively slow speed, quickly increased to maximum speed and then slowed down to a stop whereupon cutting takes place following immediately by initiation of movement of the next length to the cutter until the entire length of the strip on the coil is used up.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

l claim:

1. Strip feeding and cutting mechanism comprising a rotatable feed roll, drive means for effecting intermittent rotation of the feed roll predetermined distances with intervals of non-rotation therebetween, means embodied in the drive means for slowing the rate of rotation of the feed roll to a stop as it nears the end of said predetermined distance, a cutter operable to cut the strip during the interval of non-rotation and a detector device situated adjacent the strip in a position to detect indicia thereon as the strip slows to a stop to effect actuation of the cutter.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detector device comprises a lamp and cell supported adjacent an edge of the strip, and means for adjusting the lamp and cell relative to the cutter.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detector device comprises a lamp and cell supported adjacent an edge of the strip with a lamp at one broad side and the cell at the other broad side, providing a gap through which the edge moves.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a hold-down roll and means supporting the hold-down roll above the feed roll for tangential engagement with a strip resting on the feed roll, said means being operable to lift the hold-down roll away from the feed roll to enable threading the strip.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a hold-down roll, spaced parallel arms rotatably supporting the hold-down roll, and means pivotally supporting the arms for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of the feed roll, said axis being situated above and forwardly of the axis of the hold-down roll in the direction of movement of the strip.

6. Apparatus according to clam 5, comprising means for effecting rotation of the arms to lift the hold-down roll from the feed roll.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cutter means comprises spaced parallel guide bars, providing a gap of approximately the thickness of the strip through which the strip is advanced by said feed roll, and a cutter bar supported at the forward side of the guide bars, said guide bar having an edge substantially parallel to the plane of the lower edge of the upper cutter bar and movable tangentially by one of the cutter bars relative to said edge.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cutter means comprises vertically spaced parallel guide bars between which the strip is advanced, and a cutter bar at the far side of the guide bars with respect to the direction of movement of the strip, the lower one of said guide bars having a flat upper surface constituting an anvil against which the cutter bar operates to sever the strip, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced pairs of transversely spaced support rollers preceding the feed roll, said support rollers being supported in tangential relation to a plane containing the flat upper surface of the lower guide bar and tangent to the feed roll, said support rolls having radially extending shoulders providing edge guides for maintaining the course of the strip at right angles to the cutter bar.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cutter means comprises a bar having a cutting edge comprising a motor and means for operably connecting the motor to the cutter bar to effect its reciprocation, said means comprising a crank on the motor shaft, a crank on the cutter bar shaft and a link connecting the two cranks, a switch adapted to be closed by the detector device operable to start the motor, a cam on the motor shaft and a switch operable by the cam on the motor shaft to stop the motor when the cutter has gles of rotation to successively advance and stop the strip with intervals of non-rotation therebetween, said drive means being operable to slow the rate of rotation of the feed roll to a stop as it nears the end of each period of rotation and comprises for this purpose a constant speed motor, a shaft supporting the feed roll for rotation, a clutch on said shaft having fixed and movable parts adapted to be engaged and disengaged to effect by engagement rotation of the feed roll in a direction to advance the strip and by disengagement to permit the movable part to be rotated in a reverse direction to the fixed part, linkage drivably connecting the motor to the movable part of the clutch to effect reciprocation thereof, electrically operable means for engaging and disengaging the clutch, a cam on the motor shaft operable to actuate the switch to engage the clutch and disengage the clutch in consonance with the reciprocation of the movable part of the clutch, a cutter, means for effecting operation of the cutter, and

a detector situated near the place of slow-down of the strip operable by indicia on the strip to initiate operation of the cutter.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, comprising an electrically operable brake on the shaft of the feed roll, a switch for effecting operation of the brake and a cam on the motor shaft for effecting operation of the switch, said cam being located with respect to the cam which actuates the clutch to apply a brake simultaneously with disengagement of the clutch and release the brake simultaneously with engagement of the clutch.

13. Strip feeding and cutting means comprising a frame embodying horizontally and vertically disposed partitions spaced respectively between the top and bottom and between the ends, said horizontal and vertical partitions providing an enclosure within the structure, a track for the strip and at one end a well, feed roll supported within the enclosure for rotation with its top side projecting through a slot in the horizontal partition to a predetermined height thereabove, said feed roll being rotatable to draw the strip along the horizontal partition from a spool on which the strip is wound mounted above the well, with the strip depending gravitationally into the well, a plurality of longitudinally spaced pairs of transversely spaced support rolls mounted within the enclosure at the underside of the horizontal partition with their upper portions extending through slots therein to a level corresponding to that of the top of the feed roll, upon which the strip is adapted to rest as it is drawn forwardly along the partition by the feed roll, said support rolls being free to turn as the strip is moved forwardly, said strip being drawn forwardly by the feed roll over the rollers from a loop at the lower end of the depending strip situated in a well, cutting means situated forwardly of the feed roll comprising vertically spaced guide bars having a flat orizontal surface in a plane of tangency with he feed roll and the upper one having a flat inclined surface sloping downwardly and forwardly and providing, in conjunction with the horizontal surface of the lower bar, means for guiding the leading end of the strip into the space between the bars, said cutting means comprising a cutter bar rotatably supported at the forward side of the guide bars, said cutter bar having a cutting edge and being supported for oscillation of its cutting edge in a circle tangent to said horizontal surface of the lower guide bar at approximately the lower edge of the upper guide bar, and power-operable means in the enclosure below the horizontal partition for effecting intermittent non-linear rotation of the feed roll and during the interval between rotation of the feed roll oscillation of the cutter bar. 

1. Strip feeding and cutting mechanism comprising a rotatable feed roll, drive means for effecting intermittent rotation of the feed roll predetermined distances with intervals of non-rotation therebetween, means embodied in the drive means for slowing the rate of rotation of the feed roll to a stop as it nears the end of said predetermined distance, a cutter operable to cut the strip during the interval of non-rotation and a detector device situated adjacent the strip in a position to detect indicia thereon as the strip slows to a stop to effect actuation of the cutter.
 1. Strip feeding and cutting mechanism comprising a rotatable feed roll, drive means for effecting intermittent rotation of the feed roll predetermined distances with intervals of non-rotation therebetween, means embodied in the drive means for slowing the rate of rotation of the feed roll to a stop as it nears the end of said predetermined distance, a cutter operable to cut the strip during the interval of non-rotation and a detector device situated adjacent the strip in a position to detect indicia thereon as the strip slows to a stop to effect actuation of the cutter.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detector device comprises a lamp and cell supported adjacent an edge of the strip, and means for adjusting the lamp and cell relative to the cutter.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detector device comprises a lamp and cell supported adjacent an edge of the strip with a lamp at one broad side and the cell at the other broad side, providing a gap through which the edge moves.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a hold-down roll and means supporting the hold-down roll above the feed roll for tangential engagement with a strip resting on the feed roll, said means being operable to lift the hold-down roll away from the feed roll to enable threading the strip.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a hold-down roll, spaced parallel arms rotatably supporting the hold-down roll, and means pivotally supporting the arms for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of the feed roll, said axis being situated above and forwardly of the axis of the hold-down roll in the direction of movement of the strip.
 6. Apparatus according to clam 5, comprising means for effecting rotation of the arms to lift the hold-doWn roll from the feed roll.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cutter means comprises spaced parallel guide bars, providing a gap of approximately the thickness of the strip through which the strip is advanced by said feed roll, and a cutter bar supported at the forward side of the guide bars, said guide bar having an edge substantially parallel to the plane of the lower edge of the upper cutter bar and movable tangentially by one of the cutter bars relative to said edge.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cutter means comprises vertically spaced parallel guide bars between which the strip is advanced, and a cutter bar at the far side of the guide bars with respect to the direction of movement of the strip, the lower one of said guide bars having a flat upper surface constituting an anvil against which the cutter bar operates to sever the strip, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced pairs of transversely spaced support rollers preceding the feed roll, said support rollers being supported in tangential relation to a plane containing the flat upper surface of the lower guide bar and tangent to the feed roll, said support rolls having radially extending shoulders providing edge guides for maintaining the course of the strip at right angles to the cutter bar.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cutter means comprises a bar having a cutting edge comprising a motor and means for operably connecting the motor to the cutter bar to effect its reciprocation, said means comprising a crank on the motor shaft, a crank on the cutter bar shaft and a link connecting the two cranks, a switch adapted to be closed by the detector device operable to start the motor, a cam on the motor shaft and a switch operable by the cam on the motor shaft to stop the motor when the cutter has completed its cutting cycle.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the detector is supported adjacent and edge of the strip substantially abreast the feed roll and there is means for adjusting the detector longitudinally with respect to the strip and means for locking it in a selected position.
 11. Strip feeding and cutting means comprising a rotatable feed roll, drive means for effecting intermittent rotation of the feed roll through predetermined angles of rotation to successively advance and stop the strip with intervals of non-rotation therebetween, said drive means being operable to slow the rate of rotation of the feed roll to a stop as it nears the end of each period of rotation and comprises for this purpose a constant speed motor, a shaft supporting the feed roll for rotation, a clutch on said shaft having fixed and movable parts adapted to be engaged and disengaged to effect by engagement rotation of the feed roll in a direction to advance the strip and by disengagement to permit the movable part to be rotated in a reverse direction to the fixed part, linkage drivably connecting the motor to the movable part of the clutch to effect reciprocation thereof, electrically operable means for engaging and disengaging the clutch, a cam on the motor shaft operable to actuate the switch to engage the clutch and disengage the clutch in consonance with the reciprocation of the movable part of the clutch, a cutter, means for effecting operation of the cutter, and a detector situated near the place of slow-down of the strip operable by indicia on the strip to initiate operation of the cutter.
 12. Apparatus according to claim 11, comprising an electrically operable brake on the shaft of the feed roll, a switch for effecting operation of the brake and a cam on the motor shaft for effecting operation of the switch, said cam being located with respect to the cam which actuates the clutch to apply a brake simultaneously with disengagement of the clutch and release the brake simultaneously with engagement of the clutch. 